S52 Cams in an M52 worth it?

[atomic]

yeah, the ones robertk broke? I think they went for $400. They don't count as s-series cams, do they?

fixed...



:(

[m3_eater]

For the money, I don't think there is a better bang for your buck than an M52 with S52 cams, so I strongly endorse that route. However, power is addictive, so it never seems like enough to tell the full truth. I've gone pretty much all the way with the bolt-ons: OBD1 converted, S52 cams, 540iMAF, Conforti Intake, 21.5lb-hr injectors, Chuck Stickley custom tune, etc. I didn't do custom headers/exhaust, because the cats in the stock E36 exhaust are just about the only thing keeping it quiet and I daily it in the good weather months. Only thing worth doing now is turbo or supercharging.

Short version: it's worth it.

[m3_eater]

Oh, I almost forgot to ask. evil_twin: can you describe the acceleration of your non-cammed M52 in the E30? One minor drawback (in my experience) of the S52 cams is that they make your powerband much less linear, as the engine starts making a great deal more power after 3500RPM. If you were tracking the car, this would not matter in the least - but on the street, you're not always running around with your car in the latter half of the tach.

[Bryson]

FWIW I've done/driven/ridden in several cammed m52 e30s and IMHO it's not worth it. Save up for a bigger engine or boost it, the cams are a very slight gain, even coupled with the MAF, injectors, throttle body, exhaust, software, etc

[JPStrniste]

Oh, I almost forgot to ask. evil_twin: can you describe the acceleration of your non-cammed M52 in the E30? One minor drawback (in my experience) of the S52 cams is that they make your powerband much less linear, as the engine starts making a great deal more power after 3500RPM. If you were tracking the car, this would not matter in the least - but on the street, you're not always running around with your car in the latter half of the tach.

you know, I've noticed this too and I wasn't sure if I had a vac leak or lack of chip or what. I converted to obd1 and Im running s50 cams with stock e36 MAF. The car seems to run rough at idle, kinda like a small block chevy with mild cams. Once I put a little throttle to it, it runs mint. When accelerating, i hit what feels like the powerband in a two stroke dirtbike at about 3200 rpms and the car pulls really really hard. I was kind of hoping that a chip would solve this problem and it would even out over the rpm range. Is this not the case?

I'd also like to do a compression check and see how the cylinders are doing. when i did a dyno pull back when i got the car together, my peak was about 160hp or so at the wheels (mustang dyno). that was when i had the ANSA e30 exhaust and cats. I've since cut the cats out, put in a "turbine" resonator and magnaflow muffler. I'd like to get a chip from TRM, put my pink top injectors back in, then dyno it again. Like I said though, I think I may have a vac leak somewhere. I just feel like it should idle better.

[SpecM]

I'm a bit of newb when it comes to the compatability of the S52 with the other M5x engines...but taking the S52 cams thing a step further...will a complete S52 head bolt onto an M52B28 alloy block without any engineering involved? I wouldn't have thought so, but looking at realoem the complete cylinder head part number seems to be the same for the M52B28 and the S52...but that sounds too easy to me.

yea it bolts right on. The head is really the same, just has different cams/springs/retainers

[Jean]

you know, I've noticed this too and I wasn't sure if I had a vac leak or lack of chip or what. I converted to obd1 and Im running s50 cams with stock e36 MAF. The car seems to run rough at idle, kinda like a small block chevy with mild cams. Once I put a little throttle to it, it runs mint. When accelerating, i hit what feels like the powerband in a two stroke dirtbike at about 3200 rpms and the car pulls really really hard. I was kind of hoping that a chip would solve this problem and it would even out over the rpm range. Is this not the case?

I'd also like to do a compression check and see how the cylinders are doing. when i did a dyno pull back when i got the car together, my peak was about 160hp or so at the wheels (mustang dyno). that was when i had the ANSA e30 exhaust and cats. I've since cut the cats out, put in a "turbine" resonator and magnaflow muffler. I'd like to get a chip from TRM, put my pink top injectors back in, then dyno it again. Like I said though, I think I may have a vac leak somewhere. I just feel like it should idle better.

160whp with s50 cams?

[318isbmw]

yea it bolts right on. The head is really the same, just has different cams/springs/retainers

Yep. The camshaft trays are different also, and that's why the m/s52 cams won't fit on a m/s50, but the head itself is identical.

[matt]

I might pick up a set of S52 cams if it's worth the trouble to put them in. Anybody running them?

Thanks.

Yes, absolutely.

Would I need to upgrade to a 540maf?

Nope.

you know, I've noticed this too and I wasn't sure if I had a vac leak or lack of chip or what. I converted to obd1 and Im running s50 cams with stock e36 MAF. The car seems to run rough at idle, kinda like a small block chevy with mild cams. Once I put a little throttle to it, it runs mint. When accelerating, i hit what feels like the powerband in a two stroke dirtbike at about 3200 rpms and the car pulls really really hard. I was kind of hoping that a chip would solve this problem and it would even out over the rpm range. Is this not the case?

I'd also like to do a compression check and see how the cylinders are doing. when i did a dyno pull back when i got the car together, my peak was about 160hp or so at the wheels (mustang dyno). that was when i had the ANSA e30 exhaust and cats. I've since cut the cats out, put in a "turbine" resonator and magnaflow muffler. I'd like to get a chip from TRM, put my pink top injectors back in, then dyno it again. Like I said though, I think I may have a vac leak somewhere. I just feel like it should idle better.

A chip might help, most likely your cams are timed wrong. I would highly suggest taking it to a shop that knows what they're doing. Being off by a degree will cost you power, and it's easy to be off by more than that.

I'd like to send you a TRM chip also... Check the link in my sig - September is over, but the coupon code still works... :mrgreen:

160whp with s50 cams?

The exhaust caused part of that, the lack of a correct chip, and most likely a cam timing issue also. I've never seen under 185whp (dynojet) with an M50 with S50 cams, and there was a cam timing issue with that motor also.

[JPStrniste]

160whp with s50 cams?

yeah, i figured it was the tuning


and it was a mustang dyno. ive been told those read alot lower...

i dunno

[madjurgen]

FWIW I've done/driven/ridden in several cammed m52 e30s and IMHO it's not worth it.

Well thats disheartening. :sad:

[318isbmw]

Good friend of mine, in his e36, with these parts pulled 202whp a few years ago. For me that'd be worth it...
M52 2.8l Vanos OBD1
Active Autowerks Tuned Software
Ported and Polished Cylinder Head
S52 M3 Cams
M50 Manifold
Dinan Big Bore Thottlebody
3.5” Silicone Elbow
3.5” Tuned HFM
Cosmos 3.5” Intake System w/K&N
UUC Under Drive Pulley's
Fan Delete Mod
Cat-Delete w/Custom Mid-section
Stromung Exhaust System
Bav. Auto Performance Coilpacks

http://nwbmwclub.com/bmws/images/jrhaile/dyno0001.jpg

[smonkbmw]

as the engine starts making a great deal more power after 3500RPM.

mine did this also. found out it was the software i was using, changed chips and it toned it down a bit, but still it had a dare i say it "VTEC" feeling to it. flame suit on!

Well thats disheartening. :sad:

dont even trip, itll be fast. some people just dont understand what fast is. they dont realize how quick you can go from being comfortable to being out of control in your car. personally i think anything over 200hp to the ground is much more than most people can handle.

[SpecM]

personally i think anything over 200hp to the ground is much more than most people can handle.

this is true, we drive small cars!

[ColdAccord]

my plan is to s52 the e30 over winter (looking for a wrecked e36 m3 currently) and doing cams, then putting the s52 cams in my m52 dd